Thursday, September 30, 2010

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Somehow I don't think this is an indication that Diego-san wants to hangout with my softball equipment but rather it's an indication that he found something lying where it normally isn't found and he just had to fully investigate things.

"People want to move, and the cats can't come with them. They ask for help with cat food or kitty litter," she said. "There are no jobs. Unemployment has run out. They can't get medical insurance."

The widening love-gap between dogs and cats is a national trend, said Nancy Peterson, the Cat Programs manager for the Humane Society of the U.S.

Nationally, there are more cats in shelters, while the number of dogs in shelters is remaining steady. Many shelters are being forced to convert dog kennels into cat cages, Peterson said.

Dog owners, like dogs, are more loyal. About 30 percent of dogs in shelters are reclaimed by owners, compared with about 4 percent for cats, according to the national Humane Society.

Pet owners lavish money on dogs (an average of $225 annually) more than cats ($203).

And now, dogs are finding more homes. In fact, Minnesotans are so eager to adopt dogs that the Animal Humane Society imported nearly 1,000 dogs from Oklahoma and Georgia last year.

"People want dogs. That is why we are able to help other rescue groups with dogs," Balzer said.

Why is there such a difference in human feelings for dogs vs. cats?

One reason is simple math. There are far more cats than dogs. Cats — nature's perfect breeding machines — can get pregnant at the age of 4 months and can have up to three litters year.

About 42,000 kittens are born every day in the U.S., compared with 10,000 people, according to the group Spay USA. The feral cat population is about 80 million — with an estimated 480,000 in the Twin Cities.

Cats dominate shelters, accounting for 58 percent of the animals taken in by the Animal Humane Society in 2009.

That imbalance increases the urgency, Balzer said, of finding more loving homes for cats. Dogs don't have that problem.

"A puppy's face, people come running for. But cats have a different role in society," Balzer said. "This is a community problem."

With adoptions down, the Humane Society will have about 3,000 more unwanted cats to deal with this year.

Officials are trying to find them homes. The group announced this month that it has slashed adoption fees to $50 for a neutered, vaccinated, microchip-implanted cat.

And it is extending a two-for-one sale. The "Double the Love" program allows families to adopt two adult cats for the price of one — $50.

The Humane Society neuters thousands of cats each year and advocates for all owners to neuter cats. Because of such programs, it slashed euthanizations in 2009 by 9 percent to 11,000 animals — most of them cats.

But this year, it will be difficult to keep euthanizations down. Balzer wouldn't estimate how many more cats would be killed in 2010, but she did say, "Euthanasia is a reality."

"Does it break our hearts? Absolutely," she said. "Are we looking for any opportunities to help? Absolutely."

It's too soon to tell if the new programs will be enough to deal with the stampede of incoming cats.

Last July's cat adoptions at the Humane Society were down 15 percent. Adoptions in the two-for-one "Double the Love" program have dropped by 36 percent in one year.

For SCRAM founder Johnson, the stress of dealing with so many unwanted cats is grinding.She was recently called to help one female cat in Blaine, abandoned when her owners moved. Johnson said the cat has been sitting by the back door for weeks.

"She cries and cries. The neighbor feeds her. And now she has had two kittens," said Johnson — the start of another feral colony.

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Move chair upstairs to change light bulb. Diego-san climbs on top of chair to claim his rightful spot high on a perch. Theo naturally begins playing with Diego-san's tail from down below. Thompson watches, knowing a high speed chase is in all likelihood just around the corner...

Thursday, September 09, 2010

We've had a stretch of cool autumn air the past few days. A good barometer of this weather is all three boyz have rejoined me when we go to bed, because they want a spot near a natural source of heat...

Tuesday, September 07, 2010

I think I've learned something about my boy the past few weeks... I've noticed that whenever I go over to him as he is finishing up a meal and ask him if he enjoyed the food, he'll go scampering off as if he thinks I'm scolding him. I wondered what this was all about. My theory? He spent the first year of his life living out in the wild (or so I was told) and a kind woman would bring him out some food in the park she saw him at. I think his behavior is a reminder of all that. He probably didn't want her to get too close even though he was thankful for the food. I can see him running away from her if she got too near.

But she was the one who saved his life. The one who found him caught in an animal trap after he hadn't come around for several days for the meal she offered. I don't know who this person was but I will forever be eternally grateful for her actions. She brought Thompson to a no-kill shelter and they got him the care he needed (the amputation of his dead leg) to stay alive.

Thompson is my hero. He has such a grateful soul and a comforting face. He has taught me so much about the right attitude towards life... So again, happy birthday buddy... from all of us in this household...

Sunday, September 05, 2010

I think I've worked fairly hard chronicling the exploits over the years of three pretty special boyz... I don't ask for a lot in return but would it be that difficult for the boyz to do their part and help me out just a little in taking better pictures? For example, this picture would have turned out much better if Diego-san had posed in the sun and Thompson had looked at the cameraman. And Theo, how about staying with your brothers and paying attention to the task at hand instead of going off in the background and checking out something we've had in the house for many years now?